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Come celebrate 75 years of Hostelling in the ....USA....!

Open House: August 23^rd, 2009 Noon to 5pm at ....891 Amsterdam Avenue.. ..NY.., ..NY.. ..10025....

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Hostelling International – ....New York.... welcomes the world and now we are opening our doors to the community! Come and join us for our Open House event on Sunday August 23^rd. The event will commemorate our 75^th Anniversary as well as celebrate “bringing the community to the hostel and the hostel to the community”. Local community restaurants, artists, musicians, and guest speakers will join in on the fun as well as show what the local community has to offer.

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Admission is free of charge. There will be door prizes, hostel tours, as well as enough fun for the entire community

Weary travelers...

We know that after a long day of walking all over the streets of NYC, getting lost on the subway, and trying to avoid getting run over by taxis, you want a nice, cold, CHEAP drink. And we don't let you do that here (we know, sorry.) BUT! We have a new special deal with the closest bar to the hostel - the Abbey Pub on 104th and Broadway...every THURSDAY night is HOSTEL night!!! Show your receipt to Brian (your friendly Abbey bartender) and get HAPPY HOUR PRICES ALL NIGHT!!!

Cool, right? Have fun :)

hey party people -

don't forget to stop by the INFO DESK in the lobby to see what kinds of fun things we have planned for the weekend (and all the time). tonight - PARTY AT THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, tomorrow check out an UNDERGROUND JAZZ JAM SESSION IN HARLEM with sabrina...

have fun!

You pick 'em, we play 'em!

In the past, here are some of hostellers faves:

NYC: Taxi Driver-The Warriors-The Devil Wears Prada-25th Hour-King Kong-Spider Man-Coming to America

TRAVEL: Borat-The Motorcycle Diaries-The Beach-Titanic

Submit yours!!!!

I have three words for you. P-B-R. (Ok, that's 3 letters but they stand for 3 words: Pabst Blue Ribbon.)

If you don't know already, PBR is America's finest beer in a can at the fine price of $2. It's worth $2 but hey, $2 is $2! And you will look like a real local hipster when you belly up to the bar and say, "Bartender, give me a PBR!" Unfortunately you are still expected to tip the standard $1 per drink even though it's half the price...

Available at most bars. Enjoy!

People often ask where go for travel supplies, maps, etc.... here is a pick from New York Magazine, conveniently located close to Times Square!

The Wanderlust Shopping List
BY WENDY GOODMAN

This time of year, getting away feels essential. Even if it's just to a new neighborhood. For the next few months, cold weather will turn us into hermit crabs, never leaving our apartments but making an escape plan—to a beach, a piazza off a winding street, a mountain perfect for hiking—puts the imagination to good use. Hagstrom Map & Travel Center (51 W. 43rd St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-398-1222) is a trove of maps, games, and puzzles designed to stimulate wanderlust.

NO PANTS SUBWAY RIDE THIS SATURDAY (it's art!)

"REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION

1) Willing to take pants off on subway
2) Able to keep a straight face about it

**THIS IS A PARTICIPATORY EVENT. DO NOT SHOW UP UNLESS YOU PLAN TO TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF. THIS INCLUDES NEWS MEDIA**

DETAILS

When: Saturday, January 12 at 3:00 PM, Sharp! (Over by around 5:30)
Where: Meet at Foley Square at the black sculpture/fountain. It's near the Brooklyn Bridge 6 train stop, between Centre and Lafayette, just north of Duane. ( Google Map)
Bring: A backpack and a metro card.
Do not bring: A camera (don't worry we are taking pictures)
Wear: Normal winter clothes (hat, gloves, etc)

Complete logistics below:

HOW IT WORKS

We will assemble in Foley Square at 3 PM. Please be on time. Feel free to be early.

When we're organized, we will all head down to the Brooklyn Bridge 6 Train stop together. Do not talk to others once you enter the subway system. No one knows each other. We will wait for a train to arrive on the uptown side of the tracks and all board our assigned cars (follow your team leader)....

Sit in the car as you normally would. Read a magazine or whatever you would normally do. Your team leader will have already divided you into smaller groups, assigning your group a specific stop where you will depants. Sit near your group.

As soon as the doors shut at the stop before yours, stand up and take your pants off and put them in your backpack. If you'd like to use a briefcase, purse, grocery bag, or whatever instead of a backpack that's fine too. You are responsible for your own pants and they should be with you at all times. If anyone asks you why you've removed your pants, tell them that they were "getting uncomfortable" (or something along those lines.)

Exit the train at your assigned stop and stand on the platform, pantless. This is a new change for No Pants 2k7. You will wait on the platform for the next 6 train to arrive. Stay in the exact same place on the platform so you enter the next train in the same car as you exited the last train.

When you enter , act as you normally would. You do not know any of the other pantless riders. If questioned, tell folks that you "forgot to wear pants" and yes you are "a little cold". Insist that it is a coincidence that others also forgot their pants. Be nice and friendly and normal.

We will exit the train at 125th street. Pay attention so you don't miss this stop. We will then repeat the mission back down to Union Square.

You can wear fun underwear if you like, but nothing that screams out "I wore this because I'm doing a silly stunt." Wear two pairs of underwear if it makes you feel more comfortable. Don't wear a thong or anything else that might offend people. Our aim is to make people laugh, not piss them off."

Cost: FREE!

Official Site: http://www.improveverywhere.com

Ok folks...here it is: Our guide to NYE in electro format :) You can pick up a hard copy at the hostel to take along and keep in your pocket for reference on the 31st...


NYE 2008: Hostelling International - New York's SURVIVAL GUIDE to NEW YEARS EVE IN NYC

Ringing in 2008 in the most exciting city in the world? Overwhelmed by the millions of possibilities of how to celebrate? HI-New York is here to help! We like to do things big in New York, so what would you expect from the Big Apple on the biggest day of the YEAR? There will be Big fun, of course, and LOTS of choices.

From the world-famous Times Square ball drop to the traditional midnight fireworks that are let off in Central Park, South St Seaport and Prospect Park in Brooklyn to countless parties in clubs, bars, and restaurants, you're bound to find a good time with New Yorkers and friends from around the world. HI-NY's NYE in NYC Survival Guide gives you the info on how to best enjoy the Times Square Ball Drop, or if you're in a more intimate mood, we've selected a handful of events for every taste and budget.

THINGS TO KNOW:
-TAXIS can be few and far between on NYE, so plan accordingly... the subways run all night long!!!
- DRINKING ALCOHOL in public is illegal in NYC, and will result in big hassles. Don't risk it!
- Many businesses are CLOSED on New Year's Day (Tuesday)... so be prepared if you need to visit a bank, etc.

In Times Square
The POLICE will be enforcing the following rules:
- No backpacks or large bags
- No alcoholic beverages
- Property can't be left at checkpoints
- If you leave your viewing area before midnight, you will not be allowed back in.

TIMES SQUARE

Every year as the clock nears midnight on December 31st, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. New Year's Eve at the symbolic center of New York City has become more than just a celebration - it's a global tradition. The world holds its breath...and cheers as the clocks strike twelve. As the famous New Year's Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing our joy and hope for the year ahead.

Revelers begin to gather in the late afternoon on New Year's Eve. The best advice we can give is to get there as early as possible. We cannot predict how quickly the viewing areas will fill up. Prime viewing areas may fill up early in the afternoon. At approximately 6pm the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball will be raised to the top of the flagpole at One Times Square and lit. At exactly 11:59 pm, the Ball will make its descent down the flagpole to signal the start of the New Year. No champagne is allowed, as public drinking is illegal in New York City. Police will confiscate alcohol.

Bring snacks, dress warmly, find a bathroom before you go, and have fun!

LOCATION: The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball descends from a flagpole at the top of One Times Square. It can best be seen along Broadway, from 43rd Street to 50th Street, and along Seventh Avenue, as far north as 59th Street. If you are planning to come to Times Square and join in the festivities, you are advised to enter from Sixth or Eighth Avenue. Your chance of getting a viewing spot near the Ball (at Broadway & 43rd Street) increases the earlier you arrive. The sound system is set up in the Bowtie area (where Broadway and Seventh Avenue cross), and the video screens on One Times Square (where the Ball is lowered) are easily visible. There are additional screens set up at Broadway and 50th Street, Broadway and 52nd Street, Broadway and 54th Street and Broadway and 58th Street. Access to Times Square on the evening of December 31st will be from 6th Avenue or 8th Avenue only. No one will be allowed to cross Broadway/7th Avenue once the streets have been closed.

GETTING THERE: To get to Times Square, the 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, N, Q, R, W, V and S shuttle trains all service 42nd Street. It is expected that the MTA will keep all subway stations open on New Year's Eve. Some entrances and exits may be closed as crowd conditions require. After 7 p.m. on December 31st, the N and R train station at 49th Street and Seventh Avenue may be closed until after midnight. Trains may also bypass some stations, depending on how the crowds build. For further information nearer the date of the event, please call or visit the MTA at (718) 330-1234 or www.mta.nyc.ny.us. *Local Tip: Try getting off the subway 1 stop north of Times Square, around 50th Street. You'll have a much easier time navigating the crowds!
PARTIES
We know how frustrating it can be to wander around all night looking for somewhere cool to go...so we've taken the trouble out of it for you by selecting a few spots where you're sure to have a good time, depending on your mood, style, and budget...

WEBSTER HALL Get crazy at the BIGGEST New Year's Eve Party in NYC for 17 years…NYE at Webster Hall with surprise celebrity DJ and Live Performances
- Hours of operation 8pm to 9AM - 4 massive floors of celebration to explore.
- one of the only nightclubs in NYC that is 18 and over!!!
- 6 amazing rooms, each with their own distinct style. - We serve liquor until 8AM!
Cost: $99 and up before 2am, $60 per person after 2am
Location: Webster Hall | 125 East 11th St. (Between 3rd and 4th Ave.)
Getting there: Downtown 1 to Times Square, transfer to downtown N/R/Q to 14th St/Union Square, walk 2 blocks East.

CLUB PACHA Get your global groove on at the NYC location of international mega-club Pacha...Pacha NY's NYE celebration won't just be the biggest party in the city. It might just be the biggest party of your life. Just blocks from the Times Square ball drop
Pacha's 24-hour extra-special marathon party is all about size. The city's biggest big-room DJs - Boris and Victor Calderone - are set to rock its biggest sound system, in its biggest club, on the biggest night of the year.
Each of Pacha's four floors and 30,000 square feet will be transformed into a grown-up playground for you to explore...
9pm - 9pm (24 Hours) Dress Code: Fashionable & Trendy
Location: Pacha NYC -618 W.46th St (b/w 11th & 12 Ave) 212.209.7500, pachanyc.com
Getting there: Take the downtown C train rom 103rd and Central Park West to 42nd Street/Port Authority, walk uptown to 46th Street and then 3 blocks west

PUCK FAIR Ring in NYE downtown at one of NYC's best Irish Pubs...PUCK FAIR will be having a 24 hour blast (from NYC's only bar with a 24 hour liquor license) with all night fun and games with DJ Joe Ballance.
Cost: $20 at door, includes 1st drink (two before 10 pm) and Champagne at midnight. Tapas Menu will be available.
Location: Puck Fair | 298 Lafayette Street SoHo
Getting there: Take the downtown B train from 103rd and Central Park West to Broadway/Lafayette, walk 1/2 block south of Houston on Lafayette

HAVANA CENTRAL Stay in the neighborhood for one of NYC's favorite dance parties...HAVANA CENTRAL will be hosting a nye bash with NYC's 1 party crew doing it BIG on new year's eve for WAYYYY less than anyone else!!! hiphop/r&b/reggae/classics/house/party music/dancefest 10pm to 4am - live ball drop telecast - party favors - crazy dance floor *dress up!!! Cost: $30 at the door for anyone mentioning that they are staying at Hostelling International.
Location: Havana Central at the West End | 2911 Broadway (b/w 113th & 114th St.) Morningside Heights Getting there: Walk one block West of the hostel to broadway, and 10 blocks uptown
OTHER EVENTS

SIP LOUNGE Keep it local and party for FREE with the boys from our Pub Crawl. Just up the street from HI-New York, SIP Lounge will be throwing a FREE bash - probably be the only party in NYC where you'll get a midnight champagne toast, hors d'oeuvres and 3 DJs for NO COVER!!!!!! There's also drink specials throughout the night and the kitchen closes at 4am! The festivities begin at 9pm...
Cost: $0! Location: SIP Lounge | 998 Amsterdam Ave. (b/w 109th & 110th St.) Harlem
Getting there: Walk 6 blocks uptown from the hostel on Amsterdam.

CONCERT FOR PEACE at St. John the Divine…
Come to this musical meditation in a candle lit Cathedral. Show up early for the free general admission seating; reserved seating also available. For tickets call 212-581-1212.
Cost: Free
Location: The Cathedral of St. John the Divine | 112th St and Amsterdam Ave.
Getting there: A short 9 block walk uptown from the hostel!

JIVAMUKTI YOGA CTR'S ANNUAL NYE SILENT MEDITATION Mauna is the yogic practice of being silent. As the clock strikes at midnight, Sharon Gannon will break the silence and welcome the New Year with chants of "lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu" (May all beings everywhere by happy and free"). David Life will give an inspirational talk and Uma Saraswati will lead Kirtan. Vegan chai and snacks will be served throughout the evening. 9 pm - 1 am.
Cost: Free
Location: Jivamukti Yoga Center | 841 Broadway , 2nd floor (near 13th St.)
Getting there: Downtown 1 to Times Square, transfer to downtown N/R/Q to 14th St/Union Square, walk 1 block downtown on Broadway.

NYE at HI-NY We'll be showing the ball drop on all the hostel screens and toasting a bit of the bubbly at midnight if you want to stay close to home!

A final word of wisdom... at the stroke of midnight it is traditional to sing a rousing chorus of "Auld Lang Syne," which comes to us from Scotland. The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as 'old long since', or 'long long ago', or 'days gone by'.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And don't forget your midnight kiss! *

Come check out our new event in the hostel cafe from 8-10 this Saturday... staright outta the undergound, NYC's talented subway musicians play just for you! This week...

DAGMAR

www.dagmartheband.com

Be there!

The food that everyone is sick of by the time they leave NYC, that hot and messy slice of $2.75 goodness available on every corner... has a great story behind it!  I know, I've been saying I would do this for a lonnngg time, but here it is, finally. As you have probably discovered, not every slice was created equal (despite every pizzeria's claim to be "New York's Best." The REAL best is up to you to judge, but NYC favorites for authentic, original NY pizza are, in no particular order:

Lombardi's 32 Spring Street, New York NY
John's Pizzeria 278 Bleecker Street, New York NY
Grimaldi's 19 Old Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Bridge
Patsy's Pizzeria 2287 First Avenue, New York NY b/w 117th and 118th  
Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano 1524 Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn NY

If you are still reading this, you are clearly a true fan. Check out Eric Asimov's June 10, 1998, New York Times story "New York Pizza, the Real Thing, Makes a Comeback" where the following chart appeared, giving us the NYC pizza family tree:

But here's the short, sweet version:

1905: Gennaro Lombardi, who had immigrated to the US from Naples, Italy, applies to the New York City government for the first license to make and sell pizza in this country, at his grocery store on Spring Street in what was then a thriving Italian-American neighborhood.Lombardi's, on Spring Street in New York City, is granted the nation's first license to sell pizza.
1924: Anthony (Totonno) Pero leaves Lombardi's and opens Totonno's in Coney Island, New York.
1929: John Sasso leaves Lombardi's to open John's Pizza in Greenwich Village.
1933: Pasquale "Patsy" Lancieri founded the East Harlem coal-fired joint in 1933, after having learned the ropes at Lombardi's.
1990: Patsy Grimaldi, his nephew, opens  Patsy's  in Brooklyn
1991: Lancieri's widow sells Patsy's to Frank Brija and John Brecevich  Brija and John Brecevich
1994: Brecevich and Brija license name "Patsy's," and Patsy's franchises begin to open in Manhattan
1996: After legal battles over the name Patsy's. Patsy Grimaldi renames his two pizzerias "Grimaldi's"
2001: Grimaldi sells Brooklyn store and the name "Grimaldi" to Frank Ciolli

Confused? Better grab a slice to clear your head. My favorite in the neighborhood is Sal and Carmines, on Broadway between 101st adn 102nd. Yum.